Mean, Green Driving Machine

The Car Care Council suggests five easy ways to turn your car into a mean, green driving machine – for your wallet and the environment.

Drive Green – Recognize that how you drive has a lot to do with fuel economy. Avoid sudden starts and stops and go the speed limit. Jerky and aggressive driving decreases your miles per gallon (MPG) and increases wear and tear on your vehicle. Minimize unnecessary miles by combining errands in one trip.

Check Tire Pressure – Each year, about two billion gallons of gas could be saved if the tires on every American’s car were properly inflated. Optimal tire pressure for your vehicle is listed in the owner’s manual. Tires that are not properly inflated add rolling resistance that makes the engine work harder to move the vehicle. All of this increases fuel costs as much as three to five cents per gallon, and increases the risk of engine damage.

Get a Tune-Up – Regular tune-ups, maintenance and having clean air filters will help your car pollute less and burn less gas. With a proper tune-up, you can save four percent on the cost of gas and up to 40 percent by replacing a faulty oxygen sensor. Simply changing the car’s air filter can improve efficiency by 10 percent.

Lighten the Load – Get the junk out of the trunk and the stuff out of your car, with the exception of emergency items such as a spare tire, flares and a first-aid kit. Extra items weigh the vehicle down and cause an increase in gas usage.

Gas Caps and Fill-Ups – Check your vehicle’s gas cap. Loose, damaged or missing gas caps cause millions of gallons of gas to evaporate into the air every year. Topping off your gas tank when filling up your car can also release harmful vapors into the environment.

“Driving technique and proper vehicle maintenance can go a long way toward protecting the environment and conserving fuel. These five simple steps will help minimize the amount of pollutants from your vehicle and keep more ‘green’ in your wallet through better fuel economy,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Vehicle owners who do their own maintenance should remember to recycle or properly dispose of fluids and other vehicle components, including used motor oil, tires and batteries.”

More information about environmental awareness is included in the popular digital Car Care Guide that can be easily accessed through the council’s newly-updated website at www.carcare.org.